Aquaplane



April 12, 1932.

H. WELSH 1,853,159

AQUAPLANE Filed April 22, 1931 FIG. 29

FIG. 4.

INVENTOR HERBERT WELSH ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 12, 1932.

UNITED STATES HERBERT WELSH, OF GRANT CITY, NEW YORK I AQUAPLANE Application filed April 22,

This invention relates to aquatic sporting devices and particularly to that type of sports ing device commonly known as the aquaplane.

a Aquaplaning, the term commonly applied to the aquatic sport in which one or more individuals are carried over the water at a relatively great speed in various postures, depending on the skill and daring of the sportsmen, on a board towed by a motor boat-,'low flying aeroplane or other suitable tractive means, is rapidly assuming a major role in the field of aquatic sports.

In order to meet the necessary requirements of great strength, security against water logging and balanced construction which simplifies the manipulation of theplane and renders the sport more attractive to those desiring thrills with a minimum'of risk, it has been customary practice heretofore to construct the aquaplane as a single rigid element of hard wood simulating, in appearance, the ordinary household ironing board, but of greater dimensions.

Such a construction results in a relatively heavy and cumbersome aquaplane, particularly when it is necessary for the sportsman to manually transport his plane from one watering place to another, or back and forth between his home and his favorite watering place.

It is accordingly the object of this invention to provide an aquaplane (or sea sled) which is simple in construction, light in weight, durable and which is easily and conveniently adapted for manual transportation.

This object is attained in accordance with a feature of the invention by a novel type of construction which'contemplates the building of the plane in separable sections which may be conveniently assembled and strapped to form a portable article.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a water tight joint between adjacent sections of the plane which, in cooperation with a novel type of coupling means, insures against any lateral or longitudinal relative displacement of the various sections and results in a rigid structure.

A still further feature of the invention is accidentally diving.

1931. Seria1No. 531,928.

embodied in the construction of the-various sections of the plane which results in a light, durable and water tight plane and one which requires less tractive effort in propellingit. through the surf than the planes in common use today, thereby enabling a greater speed to be attained by the plane with tractive means of considerably less power.

These and other features of the invention,

' not specifically identified hereinbefore, willso be readily discerned and understood from the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. l is a top plan view of the assembled 6.) plane, partly insection;

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 2+2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows in perspective, the cooperat- Iiorlig sections of the plane prior to their assem- Fig. 4 shows the turn-buckle type of .couplingmeans; and I Fig. 5 shows the plane sections assembled and strapped to form a portable article. 5

In the following description like numerals identify similar parts throughout the several figures.

The forward section 10 of the aquaplane, which constitutes a complete pontoon, is made up of a framework consisting essentially of the four wooden frame members 11, 12, 13 and 1a suitably joined to form a substantially rectangular frame, which is covered, top and bottom, with a covering of plywood, generally indicated at 15. The forward end of the plane section 10 is sled-like in appearance, being slightly arced to minimize water re sistance and lessenthe likelihood of the plane 7 The frame member 14: is provided-with a tenon 16 preferably of oak, or some other equally sturdy material, which is centrally located in the framemember 14 and secured thereto by means of screws 17 The forward frame member 11 has a section as indicated at 18 (Fig. 2), being cut away to. permit the plywood covering to be secured thereto in such a manner as to present smooth wearing surfaces both at the top and bottom ofthe plane.

The rear section or pontoon 20 of the plane, of the same structural design as the forward section, consisting of the four frame members 21, 22, 23 and 24 and plywood covering 15, is slightly tapered towards the rear in order to maintain the continuous stream-line or sledlike contour of the plane when the sections 10 and 20'are coupled together. The frame member 21 is provided with a mortise, generally indicated at 25, which is of such dimensions as to snugly accommodate the tenon 16 of the forward plane section. It will be noted that the longitudinal dimension of the mortise 25 is limited by the extending ends of the lateral frame members 22 and 23, so that when the tenon 16 is in position in the mortise 25, its ends fit snugly against the inner surface of the frame members 22 and 23 thereby precluding the possibility of any relative lateral displacement of the plane sections.

Pins, or round headed stakes 26 are located on each side of the plane sections or pontoons 10 and 20 at their abutting ends which cooperate with four turn-buckles 27 one of which is shown in Fig. 4:, in maintaining the sections rigidly coupled together. The plywood covering near the abutting ends of the plane sections is cut away in order to accommodate the turn-buckle coupling means in a manner which precludes the possibility of any portion thereof extending into the water and constituting a source of resistance to the movement of the plane through the water.

In assembling the'plane the two sections 10 and 20 are brought together with the tenon 16 housed in the mortise 25. The eyes of the four turn-buckles 27 are then placed over the heads of their associated pins 26 and the buckles turned up tight. This method of coupling the plane sections, together with the mortise and tenon joint, results in a rigid plane, the sections of which cannot move relatively, either laterally or longitudinally.

On either side of the forward end of plane section 10 there is provided a rope anchor or bracket 28 having two integral, angularly disposed hollow cylindrical projections 29 and 30, the use of which permits one and the same rope to be employed for towing the plane and for steadying the rider on the plane. After the rope is passed through the cylindrical projections 29, aknot is tied in it and the ends are then threaded through the projections 30 and are accessible for secur-' ing to the towing medium. The ends of the cylindrical projections 29 and 30 are beveled to minimize wear on the rope.

In taking the plane apart, the turn-buckles are loosened and lifted out of engagement with their respective pins and section 20 lift-- ed and placed upon section 10 as clearly shown in Fig. 5. In order to insure against slipping of one section on the other there are provided at the front upper surface of section 10 and the rear upper surface of section 20 slight recesses 33 which accommodate the heads of the pins 26 which extend above the surface of the sections. The two sections are then trussed together by means of a strap arrangement generally indicated at 34 and carried by means of a handle 35. A carrier 37 is provided with compartments into which the turn-buckles may be placed when the plane is being transported, to insure against loss.

It is evident from the fore oing description that applicant has devisecl an aquaplane which embodies the essential characteristics of strength, li htness, durability, stream-line contour and W ich can be quickly dismantled and assembled as a conveniently portable article. It is also apparent that applicant has provided a coupling means, both on the upper and lower surfaces of the aquaplane, which offers no resistance to the movement of the plane'through the water.

What is claimed is:

In combination, a plurality of structurally independent pontoons adapted to be placed in alignment to form a complete aquaplane and'in superposed relation to form a small compact portable structure, said pontoons being provided at their abutting ends with protruding stakes and at their other ends with recesses, the stakes of each pontoon fitting into the recesses of the other pontoon when said pontoons are placed in superposed relation to prevent relative displacement of said pontoons when arranged as a portable structure, and means cooperating with said stakes when said pontoons are placed in alignment for securing said pontoons together as a rigid structure.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 17th day of April, 1931.

HERBERT WELSH. 

